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Sub 3Hr Marathon

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Brunski Oct 2024 11:53am, 8 Oct 2024 2,451 posts	Quote Pin Brunski I loved reading about you going sub-3 @Bazoaxe, you had so many near misses before that it was special to (virtually) see you tick it off!
DT19 Oct 2024 7:24pm, 8 Oct 2024 192 posts	Quote Pin DT19 Lmh, yes that was a good shout. It was pretty warm and sunny yesterday lunchtime, probably close to Chicago forecast but went long sleeves. Today also did same though it was cooler. Forecast has changed a reasonable amount and is shifting every few hours or do when I look. Very hot Friday then things cool quite a bit. If Mondays forecast could come forwards 24 hours we'll be bang on!
OO61 Oct 2024 8:19am, 9 Oct 2024 355 posts	Quote Pin OO61 I noticed passing the two sub 3 pacers in Chester, both going slowly at 23 miles. Just found their ~~strava~~ feeds and worked out what was going on. They ran the whole race at low 6:40s pace, then slowed down from 23 (7:30), so they didn't finish too far below 3 hours. Nobody was with them when I passed. Just reminded me how unreliable pacers are. Why not run an even 6:50-6:52? And why run together at identical pace? Any thoughts...?
Cheg Oct 2024 8:21am, 9 Oct 2024 4,586 posts	Quote Pin Cheg What kind of calibre do you need to be a pacer? Are you an athlete capable of doing 2:40 athlete and running a 3:00?
DT19 Oct 2024 10:24am, 9 Oct 2024 193 posts	Quote Pin DT19 That does seem an odd approach, they'll have run everyone else into the ground by mile 23 at that pace. I always take the view that if you are good enough to sub 3 you don't need a pacer. I also think it is totally reckless to spend all that time training then turn up on raceday to follow the unknown plan of a complete stranger. I tend to think to be a good sub 3 pacer you need to be marathon trained and capable of low 2.40s. I read a post recently from a guy who was a 2.50s runner who agreed to pace his mate to a 3.30 mara. He assumed it would be a piece of cake but all his 20m training runs were done in 2.20, he fell apart after 3 hours as his body couldn't handle to gait of that pace or running for that long. A marathon is still a marathon even if you are running slower than capacity.
Cheg Oct 2024 10:37am, 9 Oct 2024 4,587 posts	Quote Pin Cheg Yeah it is definitely on the runner to use their own judgement about sticking with a pacer, and to ignore them if they are going well above the required pace. I'm sure they are useful for some, but I always find a great horde of people around the pacer and it makes it difficult for others wanting to pass.
SPR Oct 2024 11:02am, 9 Oct 2024 46,361 posts	Quote Pin SPR DT19 wrote:I always take the view that if you are good enough to sub 3 you don't need a pacer. World records wouldn't have pacers if this was true. Someone on the limit could do it based on very good pacers although a group in the race could serve the same purpose. The pacing job described above is ridiculous and would ruin a lot of races (even for those that back off, there's a mental reset because you aren't getting the expected support you planned for). I think it's ok for us to think it's reckless to follow a pacer because they can't be trusted, but if they were of elite standard, we wouldn't have that issue.
SPR Oct 2024 11:04am, 9 Oct 2024 46,362 posts	Quote Pin SPR It's interesting also that elite pacing is never to the end (well it can be for women in mixed races but that's why they have a women's only record as well).
DT19 Oct 2024 11:18am, 9 Oct 2024 195 posts	Quote Pin DT19 Spr, yes of course I am not referring to elite pacers who will have worked with the athletes in advance and been given a very very specific pace plan mile by mile, 5k to 5k. As you say, even the elites pace themselves home. I'm talking about turning up at the start line spotting a stranger with a flag and tagging on the back. You're far better placed to run your own plan.
SPR Oct 2024 11:28am, 9 Oct 2024 46,363 posts	Quote Pin SPR A lot of people wouldn't know that though. It's really an issue with the pacers though, as on a reasonable terrain course, with GPS watches it shouldn't be to hard to do a semi reasonable job to say 30km if you're running something within your comfort zone.

About This Thread

Maintained by jda

All about hitting the magic 2:xx:yy!
Targets 2025
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27 April London: DT19 41841, Unsafe Breadbin 40381, OO61, Chris 2:36
27 April Manchester: SteveBelfast, whiteflash
21 Sept Berlin: Paul0
5 Oct Chester: EdGreig
12 Oct Chicago: Paul0

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